Secular Confessions

[Cosmosmom]

PTS?

Um yeah Molly wants to eat poo. Not hers but Cosmo's. We are VERY discouraging of that. I mean we pick up the box right away if we can but sometimes Cosmo sneaks off and potties and doesn't let us know (I try to get her outside for that but she doesn't always ask to go out....she asks to go out to pee).
Molly get yelled at so she knows we are NOT happy, gets a timeout in her kennel and than gets her teeth brushed. We thought she had gotten a hint as it had been almost two weeks but she did it again Tuesday morning. Usually doesn't puke until the next day it seems.
Good news is she is getting used to Dh brushing her teeth early on...doesn't even have all adult teeth yet.

cosmo did it too for her own around 4-5 months of age for a few weeks. She stopped when she realized she didn't get a treat if she ate it.


Really glad my girls aren't resource guarders. I was just telling DH this morning how it's nice that I put down the food....same food, same bowl (different bowls didn't work) and they eat out of it together and pretty much take turns. Or even with something really cool like a new bone, Cosmo might growl and protest a bit but will pretty much let Molly take it from her. I also have a toy that is a dumbell with hallow ends I fill with food and they push it around so it dispenses the kibble and flip it around and it's like they are working together to figure out how to get the kibble to come out. So cute and keeps them entertained....they will go after the food in this thing even if their dish is full in the kitchen.

It will definitely be easier to have a baby around my girls being that they are pretty good natured and snippity when you take something from the. Still working a bit on messing with the ears on Molly...she doesn't care much for that but doesn't get mean about it.

[Cosmosmom]

Ash....I pick up a LOT of poo and fill up the can in the garage pretty quickly. And that is with a 28 lb dog and a 14 lb dog....and that is with one of them going outside a LOT and this time of year we aren't picking it up really (going to be a FUN job come spring! Not). and that is with feeding a high quality food that reduces the amount and size (seriously did....we had Cosmo on a cheap quality diet food and the amount of poo was incredible....so much less now on the good low grain food).

I cannot imagine the amounts created by bigger dogs!

It's the not fun part of having a dog.

[Suja]

PTS = put to sleep

[raspberry]

oh man unfortunately I can play what is worse with my pets over the years....but it's still worth having them. The worst ever was when my doxie got into the cat's litter box, it was the clumping kind of litter, and when he came to me he was whimpering and scratching at his mouth. The cat poop and clumping litter had cemented to the roof of his mouth. It was horrible. For the dog and me. I seriously thought I was going to puke. But I loved that dog so much, and the cat too. People who aren't animal people would never understand putting myself through that, but I love animals. It's the same way with childless people, some do not understand why you put up with the stuff your child puts you through.

[Gwenn]

Christina, I'm sorry for what happened and yes, we are all here for you.

Dogs and guarding, hasn't been a big problem for us but I did have some behavior issues with the dogs when DH left. They had to work out who the alpha was. They share a food dish and that has never been a problem, but Nero loves his rawhide chewies. I'm not sure how, but he eats them immediately instead of chewing on them over time. We ran into a pattern where he would eat his, Gwennie would start hers but not finish it and then have to guard it from Nero, who saw she had one and he didn't (conveniently forgetting that he ate his). This was leading to some snapping and agression on Gwennie's part, trying to defend her treat, and stopping the rawhide didn't work. Nero was miserable and begged for it constantly - and for weeks. He just didn't give up on it. So finally we started giving him a rawhide treat and Gwennie got a different treat that she could eat immediately. Honestly, Gwennie seems to appreciate that we gave her a different treat she doesn't have to guard. If we do give her a rawhide now, she doesn't seem all that pleased about it. She prefers her new treats. Now that that is solved, there is absolutely no aggression anymore.

Shelley, you definitely win with your clumping cat litter story. We use the recycled newpaper litter. Once I switched to the clumping and she got some stuck in her paw and it got infected. I'll never use clumping litter again. The newpaper stuff is definitely the best.

[missychrissy]

I'm done with cats once Callie passes. I her to pieces, but I'm sooooooo over the litter box. It's been primarily my job for 16+ years. No more!

Does anyone else have trouble buying shoes? I am pretty picky about what I will wear, and then of course they have to fit. I almost always buy black too. Anyway, I have 1 pair of black 2" heels that I love and would use as my daily wear shoes, but they stink. And it's not from me. I have my older black daily wear shoes that are probably 2 or 3 years old and they don't smell at all. The new ones have an odor that is horrible. It's embedded into the material. I bought both shoes from the Shoe Depot (not sure if you have one, but they're kind of a discount shoe place) and I believe they're the same brand and have similar patterns, but they're made out of slightly different material. I was wondering if any of you had ever experienced anything like this and if their might be a way to salvage these shoes. I adore them, but I cannot wear them at all. They stink like I went mucking through a swamp in them.

[3andMe]

Chrissy, if it is impossible to soak them in a light bleach solution, then you could try something like Tinactin Foot and Sneaker Powder Spray. You have to reapply it periodically. Same with the bleach solution.

I have a ton of trouble with buying shoes, and it has gotten nigh on impossible since my last pregnancy. Apparently my left foot just got wider and wider and I started having a lot of pain on the bottom of it if I wear shoes that squeeze it at all. I have just recently resigned myself to the fact that I'll be wearing 'practical' shoes for the rest of my life, and it actually impinges on my social life now because I have fewer dressy options to wear or if I do dress up, I'll be in pain, so there is this dread about social events that has nothing to do with the social aspect.

I used to live with a dog that would dumpster dive in the kitty litter box. It made it really hard to appreciate all the doggy affection in the form of slobber and kisses, honestly.

Christina, it sounds like you are going through a lot. I'm really sorry.

Molly, I just wanted to say I have noticed that every time you provide a link to a design or a fashion suggestion (usually in Random), I am always impressed by your keen eye. I loved your swimming suit suggestions! I don't know if it's because you're an artist, but if you ever have a mind for it and the patience, you could probably be an excellent personal shopper or designer.

And I always wanted to be a baby-wearing Mom, but I had a hard time doing it with two and the amount of stuff I had to carry and then I did it more with baby S, but still had a ton of stuff I had to carry so it was often easier to just toss him in a stroller or roll him around in a bassinet at home. Plus for some reason my babies have always wanted diaper changes really frequently--they were never content to hang out for more than 20 minutes at a time in any given location without crying because they had a tiny amount of pee in a diaper.

Poor Baby S. has been so so sick the past few days. He has been running a high fever, up to 103.2 two nights ago, up to 104.0 last night. I was alternating tylenol and ibuprofen and that was not bringing it down below 100. He was getting shaky and delirious, asking for water and then batting it out of my hands when I handed it to him, saying, "I said 'water' Mama! 'WATER!" I would tell him that it was water, I had water for him and he would scream at me again, telling me no, he just wanted water. He told me his ears were hurting, and he was coughing and congested, so I took him to the doctor yesterday afternoon. Sure enough, he had an ear infection, and my pedi, who usually counsels against using antibiotics for ear infections, said it was severe enough and he was sick enough that he needed something. So I tried to give him his dose for four awful hours yesterday. He wouldn't take it. When I tried to force it, he threw up all over me. I put it in water, but he hadn't been eating or drinking anything by that point. Then I took a straw and dribbled it drop by drop by drop in his mouth for hours. I finally got enough in him that he turned the corner. Today he took his second dose disguised in a cup of milk, and that's how I'll give it to him for the next (gulp) nine days.

[Gwenn]

Oh, wow, L. Poor Baby S.

[Suja]

Mira is a horrible medicine taker as well. I used to stress out over them every time she got sick, but an APA mama suggested ogurt, and that has worked out so far. I let her play at the kitchen sink, make a little "special" yogurt, and generally feed that first, and then the undoctored version. I think she knows the meds are in the yogurt, but doesn't care enough to protet.

[MashedUp]

My gross dog/poop story: When M was around a year, I had her out on the deck with no diaper on for a few minutes. Of course, she pooped. I grabbed her and ran inside to get some paper towels and when I came back out it was gone. The dog was sitting there licking her lips. gross, gross, gross.

L, I'm sorry S has been so sick, high fevers are scary!

[missychrissy]

Poor baby S. Poor you! I remember those days all too well. I have to say I'm glad they're behind me. I hope he's feeling much better today.

I have pain in my left foot that is exacerbated by certain shoes-although not necessarily all heels yet-and unfortunately my clutch I love my VW Cabrio like it's a pet and I hate that I can no longer use it as a daily driver. I think it's from running. I never had any issues with my feet till I started doing that.

I never heard of that Tinactin Foot and Sneaker Powder Spray. I'll give it a try. I don't think bleach would work-I'm afraid it would leave white water rings on them. They're very inexpensive shoes and I wouldn't bother except like I said before, I find it very difficult to find daily wear shoes that I both love and can wear. I was looking in various shoe departments for 6-8 months before I eyeballed these.

[daylilies]

Ugh! I just typed out a post and then everything shut down to do a windows update.
Poor S! I hope he's better today.
I had a problem with shoes because before I had Josh I was a size 5. I had to order most of my shoes online. Now I'm a 6 and it's a little easier. I'm not a shoe person though and all I have right now is winter boots, a slip on black leather pair with a chunky heel, a pair of really old sneakers and my kitchen shoes for work. I really need to get some new shoes soon. Good luck with the suggestions about the stink!

[Smplyme89]

Christina, I missed what you said about your dad before. I'm sorry

Oh, gosh, yeah, Christina, I meant to say I'm really sorry to hear that about your dad. We're all here for you if you need us. (hugs)

Christina, I'm so sorry.

Thanks ladies I really appreciate it

Me too. You know you can PM me too if you need a shoulder/ear/whatever body part you need.

[Smplyme89]

I use baking soda for everything stink related. When we moved into the house we are in the laundry room absolutely reeked of cat urine I ended up sprinkling baking soda (after trying to mop, bleach, etc) leaving it to sit for like 2 days and than doing a sweep and mop again wah-la smell gone!

Poor baby S I couldn't imagine I hope Nolan continues to be as good of a medicine taker as he is. He LOVES it Now that he's not on his reflux medication anymore everytime he sees one of the little syringes we would use he gets all excited and tries to grab it and put it in his mouth

I loathe shoe shopping. I am SO picky. They can't be close toed, have a skinny heel, have an ankle strap, etc... So it takes me a LONG time to find a shoe! That and I wear a size 9.5-10 and it seems the bigger the size the smaller the selection

[Cosmosmom]

Where does the foot hurt? I have had a hairline fracture on the top before (after I tried to jog a block...I'm not meant for running). And I am prone to heel spurs and those take forever to heal. Wearing good shoes, not going barefoot much and stretching really helps with that.

I'm not help on shoes either. Other than my tennis and crocs, my others are all leather shoes and all over $100 that I get at local speciality stores. And my only dress shoes are a brand called Beautifeel....and for heels they are really pretty comfortable...but definitely not cheap. It's not this exact one but something similiar (mine were bought 5.5 years ago) http://www.schulershoes.com/Womens-B...ris-P6771.aspx

My everyday work shoes are these http://dansko.com/Womens/Footwear/Collections/Arcadia/ The Kelsey is the one I have. These fit much different than the hard clog dansko and the heels are lower. I LOVE these shoes.

Oh L, I hope that S is feeling better soon. That sounds awful.

[Ky'sMom]

Poor little S! I hope he feels better soon and the future medicine doses will be easier for him.

Elle loves medicine. I am afraid she will overdose on meds or vitamins, which she also loves so I keep them on top of our cabinets in the kitchen because she is always talking about medicine LOL!

When she is sick though and not in a good mood it is more difficult for her to want to take it. She usually won't eat or drink either. The couple times she has had to have antibiotics, I just tell the doctor to give her an antibiotic shot. She got one last year for a bad case of strep and was better it seemed within 12 hours. Plus I will forget a lot of doses for long course treatments of 7-9 days of meds. I usually feel bad though, having them get the shot, especially since I dread needles and do all I can to avoid them, even though, honestly, I would get a shot too for antibiotics if I were really sick because I know I would forget myself. Luckily I haven't had any antibiotics since after Elle was born and I had a bad infection.

Erin

[3andMe]

S. used to be really good about taking meds. If I ever had to give him Ibuprofen, he would help me stick the end of the syringe in his mouth and he would suck it down all by himself. And he would chew up a Benadryl soft-tab all by himself. This illness has really taken a toll on him, though, and the frequent doses of anti-fever meds coupled with I think a sore throat and eventually not wanting to have anything, not even food or liquids by mouth, just made it all the worse. Now he sees a medication syringe and associates it with feeling awful.

[demigraf]

Poor Baby S, L! I'm sorry to hear that he was hit by a particularly bad bug. Is it something you guys already had so don't run the risk of catching any longer? I hope so. It's terrible when an illness wipes out the family.

Erin, Bodhi is a lot like Elle. He loves medicine. He asks for it often, almost to where I'm afraid he's going to pretend to be sick just to get some.

Christina, I was going to say baking soda too. At least it's worked for me for running shoes with stinky insoles. I've sort of marinaded them in a baking soda/liquid detergent mixture and then thrown them into the wash. I don't know if that'll work the same for chemical smells that seem to be in the actual material, like Chrissy's dealing with, but it definitely helped with footie odors.

VENT ALERT: This week has been exhausting (hosted a 6-hour meeting yesterday), and just when I feel like I can relax a little, another thing pops up. I remember what I didn't like about working with this one guy on my team who's not really my boss but sort of my direct lead on all my projects. We generally work well together and I think he's smart, but passive-aggressive. I often agree with his goals, but I don't like the methods he uses.

1) He plays people against each other. I've heard him tell others "so and so said this about you", as a way to turn them against the peson in his crosshairs. This morning, he wanted me to change something I designed and said "B told me he's not happy with it either" when that same person told me yesterday he really liked it. Hard to work with someone you can't trust.

2) He doesn't object to things in a timely manner, so you think it's settled, you put a lot of effort into things with the assumption the decision was made, and then - when it feels late in the game - he questions things down to the nuts and bolts in a way that makes everybody have to get back together into a room and talk it out again, re-open cans of worms and fix things in 100 separate places that were based on the decision.

3) For someone who complains a lot, he's not particularly effective at getting his way. He talks up a good game, but doesn't often prevail after hours of b!tch!ng sessions and closed-door campaigning. It's a lot of agitation amounting to a waste of time. On several occasions, he's rallied people for a big fight and at the last second, dropped out of the meeting and leaving you to fight his fight for him.

4) He's vicious when he decides he doesn't like you. And he usually decides he doesn't like a person, not on the basis of their character, but whether or not he gets what he wants from him. He's actively trying to get a decent man fired right now for standing in his way. I understand why conflict exists between him and the guy, but why not focus on producing the results he wants instead of up-ending the guy's life and affecting his wife/kid in the process?

OK. Sorry about the vent. I spent too much time on it that I should have been spending on work, but it feels good to get that off my chest. It's just very eerie when generally pleasant, competent and effective people have a nasty streak.

[daylilies]

I liked medicine when I was a kid. Even when I was older, I remember sneaking it. My parents didn't hide it or even put it up high. I guess when I wasn't that little anymore they didn't think they had to. Thankfully I think the stuff I liked was all sugar. Hide your medicine!

Your boss sounds like a piece of work Myles! What are his redeeming qualities?

[Bridget]

Oh my, Myles. He sounds like a jerk. I had a similar boss once. I was so thankful that he liked me because if he didn't he was just plain cruel.

Dbf is getting on my last nerve today. I haven't had my hair cut professionally in a year. I've been doing it myself since he took me to his friend, a woman he set up a saltwater fish tank for, and I didn't like how she cut it so I did it over. I told him that I made an appt to get my hair cut and colored on monday. He was all moaning and groaning about how it would be really hard "for Sawyer" for me to be gone for a little over 2 hours. "What am I going to do if he gets hungry? Fussy? I don't have boobs."
As if I would ever leave if I thought Sawyer would be inconsolably hungry. He eats food for Gah's sake and he also goes more that 2 hours between nursing all day long.

He comes home from doing a fish tank cleaning for the woman who cut my hair before and says, "G says we can all come over there on friday night after you get off work and she will do your hair for free since you didn't like it last time." First of all, I never wanted to tell her I didn't like it. I just don't work that way. Secondly, now it's nap time and instead of just being lazy and cruising on my computer, I have to go and prepare a gluten free pizza for the kids so they have something to eat for dinner at her house while I am getting my hair done. Meanwhile, he is sitting upstairs playing poker online and watching a movie. Last night he said something about how "it's just easier" to do it at her house.
Easier for who??? For him, that's who.
I was actually looking forward to 2 glorious hrs of reading trash gossip magazines and getting my hair done by a stranger who I won't feel obligated to talk to.

Sigh. Off to make a pizza crust.

[Cosmosmom]

Oh h3ll no. I wouldn't want someone touching my hair that I didn't like how they did it the first time.
And that is not that long to be away!

[Smplyme89]

Myles that guys sounds like an absolute jerk, I don't know how you can handle working with him

Bridget I am with Jennifer. I'm sorry you mess up my hair once and I will NEVER go back!!

[Bridget]

It really isn't. And I wouldn't even consider leaving if I thought it was. He might have to work hard to keep him happy and distraced from the notion that I am gone but Sawyer is a super cool baby and not that hard to keep happy. I was just upstairs making the crust and he came in just as I was about to put it in the pizza pan in the oven and said, "Whatch doin, hon?"
"Uhh, making a pizza crust since you had this grand plan of going to G's and having a pizza/movie night with the kids while I get my hair done but you aren't fulfilling any of the steps that need to be taken to get there."
"Oh, do you want me to try do make the pizza crust?"

<----Me. Holding the pizza crust.

[Inca]

sorry, your dbf gets points for, uh, trying. More than my oh so d bf would do.

[girlwonder]

I would be really upset, Bridget.

SCUBJIA! I've been feeling pretty low all week. JoJo said some things to me/about me this week that were really upsetting to me and undermined my confidence in my ability to be a good mom. I don't know why I let it get under my skin but it really did. Hormones maybe. Plus dh was out of town and so I had no help and no one to take over when I was feeling especially upset about it which made it worse. And my breathing issues were of course happening the whole time which made me feel even worse. BTW, I did go to the doctor to check it out. Lungs and heart are fine so it is all in my head. With our new insurance, I paid $103 for the doctor to tell me that. I had to ask her please for a prescription for a mood calming medication so at least I could feel like it wasn't all a complete waste of money.

Just finished adding up my income/expenses for taxes. It's not pretty.

[Smplyme89]

Big mama. Sounds like you need a bubble bath and a drink!

[Inca]

Mmm. I want a drink. .. mm..

[Smplyme89]

Yeah me too! I've only drank once since I got pregnant

ETA: I lied. I've drank twice I need a life......

[Ky'sMom]

Bridget you are so nice to let that lady do your hair again. I would have DBF cancel the movie night and go get my hair done. What is wrong with you getting your hair done? But LOL at him saying that Sawyer needed you. He is over a year old!! Like you said, he can eat. That just makes DBF look pathetic to me. One would think that he would feel you deserve a couple hours to relax away from teh house.

I hope the movie night is enjoyable for you at least.

Katy, so sorry about the money for the doctor. At least you know it is nothing physically wrong with you though. I hope the Rx will help you some. Just hugs to you period. Also I feel you on the taxes thing. I usually do my best to make sure I have enough money taken out of DH and I's taxes so we don't have to pay but we have to pay almost $40 this year and I am upset about it. I forgot to set up another traditional IRA account 6 months ago in order to put some money in it to lower our tax bracket and I'm am really POd about it even though it is only $37 that we owe.

Erin

[AbbeysMom]

Bridget! Why are you letting her cut your hair again? I would tell your DBF that Sawyer gets unconsolably fussy he can call CPS and report you for being a horrible mother who's left him alone for 2 HOURS to get her hair done. I'm sure they'll send someone right over to help him and scold you when you get back.

Lydia, Thanks for the compliment! As far as personal shopping, I think my taste is pretty specific, so I'm not sure if I wouldn't just annoy someone I was supposed to be helping. I used to have a fabulous mostly vintage wardrobe but over time have ended up a jean-and-t-shirt only person.

Myles, that guy sounds ice cold. I would say try to avoid him but it doesn't sound like it's possible. Does he have a boss?

Katy, Jojo was probably just being a typical (tactless) kid or trying to get a rise out of you. And the doctor bill stinks too... have you been allergy tested at all?

Christina, to you about your family/Dad situation.

I *thought* I finished grading but forgot something, now I have to go back in to my old class and redo some work. Blah. And many trips to Whole Foods means have spent my next paycheck already,

ETA: really can't wait until the next page starts so I don't have to read about 'Molly' eating poo at the top of this thread anymore. But I do love that I have a doggie namesake, especially one so cute.